Ahmadinejad: US sanctions against Iran will fail

Oct 30, 2007, 11:20 GMT

Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that the latest series of sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran last week would fail.

State television network IRIB quoted Ahmadinejad as terming the US sanctions a 'unilateral move,' which could not harm Iran and were not supported by other Western states.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced last Thursday sanctions targeting the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its commercial entities, as well as three state- owned banks suspected of helping finance the country's nuclear programme and terrorism.

Ahmadinejad added that Iran would not be afraid of any threats but would decisively pursue its nuclear programmes.

He further termed the Iranian forces as 'holy warriors fighting in God's pathway,' indicating that they may also engage in suicide operations.

An IRGC commander had on Monday threatened the US and Israel with suicide commandos in the Persian Gulf in case of a military attack.

'If the enemies committed the grave stupidity of realising their military threats against Iran, then we would, besides our progressive logistics, use martyrdom tactics as well,' General Ali Fadavi, deputy of the IRGC navy, had told Fars news agency.

Although Ahmadinejad and other Iranian officials do not believe in a US or Israeli military strike on Iran's nuclear plants, they have warned of harsh retaliation if such attacks take place.